Surprise!
by In Darkness Is Light
Summary: Of all the surprise birthdays Minato had expected, this was not one of them. MinaKush fluff.


_**IDIL's Note:** Ok, this is the final Minato birthday dedication, and it is a happy one, I swear! :D Gotta love some MinaKush fluff, and what would a Yondy birthday be without Kushina? Hope you enjoy! :D_

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto.

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Minato was furious and fearful and crestfallen all at the same time. He had started the day cheerfully, as he did most days, and marvelled at his luck. He had just come home from a long mission – well, if he could call it that; it was really just another long meeting with the Kazekage – and he was ecstatic at the notion that for once, he'd be home on his birthday.

Upon seeing the gates of Konoha, he picked up the pace, diving head-first into a sprint. He stopped briefly to greet the Chuunin guards and go pick up some flowers for Kushina before heading over to his shared apartment. Grinning broadly, he put the key in the lock, opened the door and yelled theatrically, "Honey! I'm home!"

No answer.

Hmm, that was strange. And disconcerting. He had fully expected his girlfriend to be home, ready to greet him with a lovely cake – probably store-bought – and a free month's pass to Ichiraku's – he'd been hinting at it for the past few months. But here he was, flowers in hand, all alone in the small apartment. He wondered where Kushina could be. She didn't know many people in the village, and she presented herself to even fewer. Being from Whirpool, and being the Hokage's girlfriend, she didn't want word to get out about her present relationship with Konoha's Yellow Flash. So where the hell could she be? Minato decided to go ask his teammates, who were pretty much the only ones who saw her frequently.

Rushing to Rin's apartment, he was shocked to find that she wasn't at home either. Now he had two missing members of the small party he was hoping to throw in honour of himself. Two of the most important members. Discouraged, he stopped by Kakashi's apartment, hoping that the freshly initiated ANBU operative had at least taken a few days off. However, as he entered the even smaller apartment with a spare key, he noticed a note reading, **'Out on a mission. Be back soon. There's some cake in the fridge if you want it, sensei. Happy Birthday.' **He smiled brightly, not in the least surprised at Kakashi's powers of anticipation, before indulging in some of the cake in the teen's fridge. He turned the note over and wrote, **'Thanks Kakashi. Cake was great! Let us know when you get back. Minato.'**

Kakashi's apartment was relatively close to the cemetery, so Minato took the opportunity to go visit Obito. It was rare that he got the chance too, but he came to the memorial whenever he could. As he stood respectfully at the grave site of his former pupil, Minato thought that he could hear whispers in the wind softly congratulating his promotion and wishing him nothing but the best on his celebrated day of birth. He smiled and traced the name on the stone, before saying his goodbyes and wandering off, in search of Kushina and Rin.

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It was now nearing five in the afternoon, and it seemed to Minato that this year, his birthday would be forgotten. He supposed it wasn't that big of a deal, but he found it necessary to celebrate something once in a while, and this seemed to be the perfect opportunity. Too bad he had no one to celebrate with. Just then, the door bolted open and in came Kushina.

She grinned at the sight of him, while he looked sulkily back at her. She noticed his downtrodden expression and pulled from behind her back a large box. He took notice of it immediately and gazed curiously around her, wondering what it was. Perhaps his birthday had not been forgotten after all. "What's that?" he questioned, pointing to the box.

"This?" she replied innocently. "Oh, it's just something I bought for someone."

His eye twitched. Leave it to Kushina to test him even on his birthday. Fine. Two could play at that game. "I hope it's not for another boyfriend!"

She glared at his comment. "No! It was going to be for a boyfriend but," she looked teasingly back at him, "I guess he doesn't want it."

Damn her. She always won; he vaguely wondered why he even bothered playing along anymore. "Oh, come on! You left me all alone on my birthday!" He pouted like a petulant child. "The least you can do is give me the box!"

She grinned at him. "Well, if you only want the box…"

It was his turn to glare at her. "Ok, ok," she raised her hands in defeat, "come and see what's in the box!"

The box turned out to be a large chocolate cake, decorated with sprinkles and white chocolate, for which Minato had to fight to eat two pieces of the delectable dessert. Kushina's appetite for sweets was sometimes downright frightening, and to Minato, it was a wonder she wasn't a 500-pound woman by now! After the cake, and of course, the resulting romance of such - as Kushina never failed to get chocolate on her face - just like Minato never failed to kiss it away, Kushina sat him down on the couch and began fidgeting with her hands.

"I have a surprise for you," she told him nervously, "but I'm not sure if you're going to like it."

"Ah, it's fine, Kushina-chan," Minato smiled at her affectionately, "I'm sure I'll love whatever you get me!"

She let out a nervous laugh and then, mustering all the courage she had, she put on a brave, smiling face. "I'm pregnant!" She announced cheerfully, but her cheer was short lived as Minato's eyes went wide and his mouth gaped open. "Surprise…?" she tacked on at the sight of his stunned face.

She waited for a response, and when she finally realized he was too shocked to give one, she waved one hand in front of his face and laughed tensely. "Blondy?"

He didn't budge.

She tried again, this time with another one of her nicknames. "Sunshine?"

Still no response.

She was becoming more afraid by the minute. "Minato?" His eyes shifted at the mention of his name, but he gave no other sign of life. So she punched him. Hard. "Minato, god damn it! Say something! _Anything_!"

He finally seemed to snap out of his reverie, and turned to her. "Seriously?" He demanded, his eyes alight with barely contained excitement.

Kushina relaxed at the reassuring sign of his signature grin. "Seriously!" she grinned enthusiastically. "Rin confirmed it today!"

"So that's where she was…" Minato shifted over to Kushina's spot on the couch and wrapped both arms around her, pulling her against him while kissing the top of her head. "That's great," he whispered sincerely into her hair.

"Yeah?" She turned her head to look up at him.

"Well, yeah!" He cheered, the look on his face suggesting that it was truly the best thing that had happened to him. "This is the best birthday ever!" He pulled her off her feet and twirled her around the apartment, singing childishly, "I love you! You love me! We're going to have a baby!"

Kushina glared at him playfully, and burst out laughing. "Oh please Kami," she wheezed in between giggles, "please don't let him wind up with Minato's brain!" She ran a hand through his hair lovingly at the sight of his wounded puppy look, and somehow managed to effectively get it stuck in there; this only caused her to laugh harder, her free arm draping across her sides as an attempt to make them stop hurting from the boisterous laughter that escaped her. "And _definitely_ not his hair!"

Minato grinned sheepishly and took advantage of their closeness by planting a kiss on Kushina's lips, one filled with love and gratefulness and hope. This really was the best – not to mention most surprising birthday – ever.


End file.
